Summoner
by Frannie1
Summary: From the point of view of Tidus. He pursues his developing relationship with Yuna while everyone around him forbids it.
1. Chapter 1

She was so beautiful, standing on the hill, watching the sun dip below the horizon. It wasn't the kind of beautiful I'd seen before either. It wasn't like the girls back in Zanarkand, screaming after a close match. It was different. She was so strong, facing such an unbeatable foe. How did she stay so strong? Just the thought of my old man sent me off the handle, cursing and hating him all over again. I couldn't imagine what _she _was dealing with—possible death.

"What you thinking about?" Wakka came up behind me, heavily putting a hand on my shoulder.

I didn't even turn to look at him. "Yuna," I replied absently, almost dreamily.

"Hey," Wakka began roughly, "don't get any ideas, ya?"

"Huh?" I turned to him. "You too?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Yuna has a job to do, you know. You shouldn't interfere." He stood still, arms crossed, staring at the young summoner.

"Maybe she needs me to _interfere_," I said with a smirk.

It had been a joke, but Wakka didn't think it was very funny. He grabbed me by my shoulder and pulled me aside. "I won't hear you makin' any more jokes about Yuna, ya?" he growled. "She's a summoner and you'd better respect that!"

I pulled myself out of his grip. "All right!" I don't know what happened to him, but the fun-loving, laughing Wakka that I used to know was gone. He was beginning to sound like my old man, and when he turned around, I made a crude gesture. He wouldn't have understood it even if he'd seen it. It was from Zanarkand.

"Hey."

I jumped, yelping like a frightened animal. I had still been in the process of the rather elaborate gesture.

"Sorry," she said quickly, casting her eyes downward.

"It's okay." I scratched my head, a little embarrassed. "So…how are you…holding up?"

"I'm fine." She smiled.

I narrowed my eyes. "Now is that a _real _smile or one of those manufactured ones you showed me how to do?"

She laughed a little, but didn't answer my question. I suppose she didn't have to. I already knew she wasn't fine. How could she be?

"Um, what were you and Wakka talking about?" she questioned, suddenly looking into my eyes again.

I shrugged. "You know Wakka; he can't keep his big nose out of other people's business."

"What do you mean?"

"Erm…it's not important." I ran a hand through my hair, turning away from her. "He's always worrying, y'know? About how close I got to Sin's toxin, about how close I'm getting to y—well, he just needs to stay outta my business."

"I understand," she said, nodding.

"You do?" I asked, puzzled.

"Mm-hm," she said with another nod of her head. "Sometimes I get so tired of everyone fussing over me. I know they're all trying to help, but I'm looking for something…different, something more…comforting." I stared at her, trying to control how wide my eyes became. She was practically _begging _me to kiss her.

"Sometimes all I want is to be treated like you."

"Me?" I repeated, flabbergasted. "You want to spend all day getting pushed around and told how crazy you are?"

"You're not crazy, Tidus," she said, a frown forming on her smooth lips. She took my hand for a moment. "I believe you—nothing else matters."

I pulled away, scratching my head. I was blushing, but she wasn't. "Thanks, Yuna. It means a lot." She nodded, smiling again. "Are you coming inside?"

"Not yet. But you go ahead." I placed a hand on her shoulder gently, before walking away.


	2. Chapter 2

"Yuna?" I called out. She didn't answer, though I waited. Everything was hazy; the sky was green and clouds flew by faster than I had ever seen. There was a dark figure moving around in the shadows. "Yuna!" I called again.

The figure emerged from the darkness, but it was not Yuna. "What? You gonna _cry _again?" My father chuckled at me.

"What are _you _doing here?" I sneered.

Instead of answering me, he said mockingly, "What makes you think you can protect her, huh? How can you protect _anyone_ when all you want to do is sit down and cry?"

"That's not true!" I shouted. "What do you know, anyway? You were never there long enough to know me at all!"

"I can judge a book by its cover, son," he replied, laughing.

"Don't call me 'son.' " I glared at him with fire in my eyes.

"Why not?" He leaned in closer, suddenly seeming larger. "You gonna cry?" He seemed to grow bigger still. "Is my little boy gonna break down and cry?" He was instantly enormous, his skin grey and scaly, his mouth wide and ferocious: Sin.

"No! No, I won't let you hurt her!" I shouted. "I won't let you hurt anyone ever again! No—no!"

"Tidus!"

"No, stop it, no—I won't! Yuna!" I yelled in fragmented sentences.

"Tidus, I'm right here!" She was shaking me, trying to wake me. It had all been a dream. I opened my eyes slowly. There she was before me. "Are you all right?" She put a soft hand on my forehead, brushing away my moistened locks of blonde hair.

"I'm all right now." I sat up and looked around. The others were all awake too, simply standing around my bed, staring. "Was I that loud?"

"I'm surprised you didn't wake the dead," Lulu said darkly.

I gave her a sheepish look. "Erm…sorry, guys. It was just a dream." I was silent for a moment. "It seemed so real, though," I added thoughtfully.

"Maybe it was a vision," Yuna suggested.

"Huh?" I grunted.

"Well," she began, "there's some truth to every dream, isn't there?" I shrugged. "So, why not yours too? Why don't you tell me what you dreamt?"

I glanced at Auron, who was watching me skeptically. "Um…I don't think so. I'm pretty sure it was just a nightmare."

"Oh." Yuna looked disappointed, but I couldn't tell her about my old man being Sin.

"Back to sleep, everyone," Auron said roughly. "We have another long day ahead of us." He stared at me, waiting for the others to file out of the room. He knew. Somehow he knew what I had dreamt. Jecht was always on my mind, but he was also always on his. He nodded to me, as if in recognition of how I had nearly jeopardized the mission, but saved it at the last moment. He turned down the light and closed the door.


	3. Chapter 3

I awoke with a start the next morning. Rikku was at the foot of my bed. I groaned. "What are you doing?"

"It's time to get up!" she said brightly, grinning broadly. "C'mon, sleepy-head!"

Suddenly the blanket was ripped off of me. "Hey!" She giggled, staring at my boxers, the only article of clothing I was wearing. "Hey—would you—would you get outta here!" It wasn't that I was embarrassed. Well, not really.

Rikku closed the door and called, "Yuna wants to talk to you! She's already outside."

Yuna wanted to talk to me? I pulled on my pants and grabbed my shirt. I pulled it on, on my way out of the inn. At first I couldn't find her, so I went behind the inn, where the sun was rising. I didn't say anything, just watched her eating an apple. After a few minutes, she glanced back and saw me. I waved and she waved back. "Rikku said you wanted to talk to me."

"I brought you an apple." She handed it to me, smiling. She seemed more cheerful than she had been last night.

"Thanks." I took a bite and, with my mouth full, asked, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

She looked surprised, as if she hadn't expected me to ask. "Oh. Well, not about anything in particular. It's just, talking to you makes me feel…I don't know, better. Like what I'm doing is the right thing."

"Of course it's the right thing!" I exclaimed. "Yuna, you're going to save Spira, and I'm going to help you. We all are."

"I know." She looked up at me. I almost thought I saw tears in her eyes. "See? I knew you'd make me feel better."

"Is something wrong?" I had to know. She seemed so forlorn lately. I tried to catch her gaze but she avoided it. "C'mon, Yuna. You haven't been acting like yourself." I put my hand on her shoulder and she shuddered.

"Yuna, Tidus." Lulu stepped in between us. I crossed my arms, moodily. "We'd better move on. I heard some of the locals talking about Sinspawn in the area. We can't risk being distracted." She gave me a meaningful look and I rolled my eyes when she turned away.

"Thank you, Tidus, for cheering me up," Yuna whispered as she walked by.

I shrugged. "Don't mention it."

Within the next few minutes, we set out, and all day long we fought. Fiend after fiend…mile after mile. We hardly stopped to rest at all. As night fell, so did the temperature. The environment was changing to a much colder climate. We set up camp at the bottom of a cliff, underneath an overhang.

I warmed my hands by the fire. I just knew the sound of water dripping into the gorge was going to keep me awake all night, even though I was exhausted.

"What's bothering ya?" Wakka asked, sitting down next to me.

"I just can't sleep, that's all." I breathed warm air onto my hands and rubbed them together furiously.

"Look, Tidus, I know ya too well for you to get away with excuses like that." He narrowed his eyes and asked, "What's bothering ya?"

"You're not gonna like it," I said, shaking my head.

"Tell me," Wakka demanded.

"All right," I agreed, annoyed, "but you're not going to like it." I sighed. "It's about Yuna. How could she marry him—Seymour?"

"You're right. I don't like it." He stood up.

"Wakka, come on," I pleaded. He stopped and turned to look at me. "I know it isn't right and I know it's not my place, but I think she's making a mistake! There's something funny about Seymour, something I can't put my finger on. But it's there!"

"Look, Lord Seymour is the leader of the Guados—he's a maester!" Wakka exclaimed.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you," I said angrily. "You think that doing anything in the name of Yevon is for good, but that's not the way it is! It never was! Behind every religion is a man, and behind him are a dozen other self-righteous ones." I stood up and marched over to him. "You're wrong on this one, Wakka."

I set my sword on my shoulder and started walking. Sometimes Wakka could be so thick-headed. He just didn't get it. I mean, I respected Yevon and its teachings, but it didn't seem right for Yuna to marry Seymour in the name of Yevon. Did she love him? Did she even _like _him? She hardly knew him!

"_Lady Yuna—no, all summoners—are charged with bringing peace to Spira. But this means more than just defeating Sin. She must ease the suffering of all Spira. She must be a leader for the people._"

I kicked the dirt angrily. Marrying Seymour could ease no one's suffering but Seymour's. He had it in for Yuna, not that I could blame him. She was young, strong, and beautiful. But he was in it for all of the wrong reasons. I just knew it. He wanted power and fame, and Yuna could give him these.

I couldn't get her words out of my mine. "_If my getting married would help Spira…if it would make people happy…If I could do that for people…maybe I should do what I can_." Ever since I met her in Besaid, I imagined beating Sin together, and then taking her to Zanarkand—_my _Zanarkand. I'd take her to see a blitzball game and she'd be in the front row, jumping and cheering me on. But now…well, now I didn't even know if I would ever see my Zanarkand again, let alone show it to Yuna.

"Yuna is strong. She would make a great leader of Spira," Lulu said slowly. I looked at her. I knew from her eyes that she regretted her own words. "I…I know how you feel." It seemed like it was difficult for her to get the words out. I shook my head. Another speech—just what I needed. "She's like a sister to me. I want her to be happy, to make the right choices. It was…much easier…when she was younger. Now, she is a woman with a mind of her own. I can only advise her now, and hope she makes the right decision."

Lulu watched me for a moment, and then walked back to camp. I didn't sleep that night.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Yes, I know there's a lot of script straight out of the game in here, but I thought I needed a lot of it to go on. I didn't want to just paraphrase it in Tidus's mind. So, sorry if you don't like it, but that's all I've got for you.

Arriving in Macalania Woods, I could not have been more unprepared for what was to come. From the moment we set off that morning, it seemed that everyone was trying to keep Yuna away from me. Heh. As if they could. This was my last chance to stop her from doing something she'd regret. I mean, she wanted to make the people of Spira happy. But why marry Seymour when she could defeat Sin? Both would make everyone happy, but…

"Lady Yuna." I looked up. Tromell, Seymour's hand towel—that is, his servant—bowed very low and took her hand. "I will take you to Lord Seymour at once. He is waiting for you." I took a step and the snow crunched beneath my feet. "We must honor Guado tradition, so if your guardians could wait a little while longer."

She nodded quickly and said to us, "Good-bye." Yuna took a few steps with Tromell, and then turned around to face us again. She looked at me first. "I…" I didn't know what to say.

Auron stepped forward. "We're all with you. Do as you will."

"Thank you," Yuna said quietly, before turning around.

Auron turned to face me. "Sorry."

I raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

He adjusted his sword and gave me a meaningful look. "That was your line."

I suddenly realized what he meant and I bolted for the edge of the small cliff. "Yuna!" I whistled.

She stopped, grinning broadly. "Yes, sir!" There was a crash nearby and she yelped. I hardly knew what was happening. Suddenly everyone was running towards Yuna and Tromell. I was frozen in place, watching a giant machine come down the snowy slope. A man stood at the top of the hill, wearing clothes that looked a lot like Rikku's. He was an Al Bhed. He and Rikku were shouting at each other, but I couldn't understand them. Why would the Al Bhed be attacking Yuna? After all, Yuna was half Al Bhed. Without another thought, I ran down and joined the fight.

"_Thundara_!" Lulu shouted, raising her arm into the air.

"It's no good," Rikku said. She pointed at the small, spherical machina floating about the tank. "That thing is putting out an anti-magic field."

Wakka threw his ball and the magic negator crashed to the ground. "Yeah!"

"Nice one, Wakka!" I cheered, before slashing at the machina tank.

"Finally," Lulu growled. "_Thundara_!"

I covered my face with my arm as the machina exploded. Then, as the smoke cleared, I ran to Yuna. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Mmhm."

"My lady," Tromell said, and they quickly made their escape to Macalania Temple before anything else attacked. I watched her go, thinking the next time I saw her, she would be engaged.

"Rikku!" I looked up. The Al Bhed on the hill was shouting and shaking his fists. "_E femm damm Vydran_!"

Rikku rolled her eyes and yelled back, "_E ys dra _guardian _uv _Yuna, _oui caa_? Yuna _ec cyva_! _Fa femm kiynt ran_! _Cra ec cyva_!"

The man pointed at her, frowning. "_Oui tu drec ymuha, cecdan_!"

I looked at Rikku, concerned, and he ran off into the snowy terrain. She giggled, covering her mouth. I gave her a questioning look, and I wasn't the only one. "I told him I was Yuna's guardian," she clarified. "Well, guess I had to, really."

Wakka took a few steps toward her, confused. "How come you speak Al Bhed, huh? Why?"

He looked at Lulu, and then at me. "W-well, er…I …" was all I could manage.

Rikku sighed, preparing herself. "Because…I'm Al Bhed…and that man was my brother." She looked up at him with wide eyes.

The whole time, I was hoping that Wakka wouldn't blow up. The pained expression of Lulu's face told me she was hoping the same thing. Unfortunately for us, Wakka was…well, Wakka.

"You knew?" Wakka asked. "Both of you?" Lulu and I nodded. I suddenly found the tops of my shoes incredibly interesting. "Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded.

Lulu averted her eyes. "We knew you'd be upset."

Wakka tossed his blitzball down in the snow, angrily. "This is just great! I can't believe I've been traveling with an Al Bhed—a heathen!"

"You're wrong!" Rikku shot back. "We have nothing against Yevon."

Wakka turned away, as If he was trying to buy himself more time to think. "But you Al Bhed use the forbidden machina!" he came back with. "You know what that means?" Rikku shook her head with the same questioning look that Wakka had given her a few minutes before. "Sin was born because people used machina!"

Rikku stuck her face underneath his. "You got proof? Huh? Show me proof!"

"It's in Yevon's teachings!" Wakka said, not backing off. "Not that _you'd _know!"

"That's not good enough!" She backed up and mimicked, "Yevon says this, Yevon says that. Can't you think for yourself?"

"Well, then you tell me! Where did Sin come from, huh?" Wakka asked.

For the first time, she looked taken aback. "I…I don't know."

He crossed his arms. "Hmph! You badmouth Yevon, and that's all you can come up with?"

"But…" Rikku began, her eyes shining, "that doesn't mean you should do whatever they say without thinking! Nothing will ever change that way!" I couldn't help agreeing with her.

"Nothing has to change!"

"Wakka," Lulu said quietly. But he either didn't hear her or was ignoring her.

Rikku put her hands on her hips. "Do you want Sin to keep coming back? There might be a way to stop it, you know!"

"Sin will be gone once we atone for our past mistakes," Wakka said matter-of-factly.

"When?" she asked, flailing her arms. "How?"

"If we keep faith in Yevon's teachings, it will be gone one day!"

Rikku sighed. "Why do I even bother?"

Wakka's head was harder than a rock. I hadn't known him that long, but I'd figured that much out about him. I didn't have anything against Yevon, but I think maybe Wakka put too much faith in it.


End file.
